Moments
by Cj4Dj
Summary: My view on 2 key moments that I missed in The southern Raiders. Zutara.


The two Key moments that I missed in The Southern Raiders.

An AtlA fanFIX!

By Jen.

_**Moment one; Rest.**_

Zuko watched the waterbender that steered the reigns of the massive ten ton bison. She had just told him her side of the story of her mother's demise and he couldn't deny that he was shaken by it.

"_**Your mother was a brave woman", he'd said that to her, not really knowing what else to say at that moment. She seemed to be torn by her sadness and he could hear the tears that laced her voice.**_

Zuko let out a small sigh. Katara was stubborn, he'd told her to rest before she told him her story and still she was sitting on top of Appa's head holding the reigns in her hands.

Her figure was slightly slumped . Her body swayed ever so slightly from side to side, it made Zuko worry about her falling off the giant beast.

He decided that he needed to take action before something worse could happen.

He carefully stepped out of the saddle and onto Appa's head so he was seated next to her.

Katara didn't seem to notice him, she was staring ahead, her eyes fixed on something that couldn't be seen by him.

"Katara", he said softly, but she didn't stir or acknowledge him at all.

He gently took the reigns from her hands, that shook her out of her thoughts.

"What do you think you're doing?", she said harshly while glaring at him.

"What I should have done a lot earlier actually", Zuko said, "You need some rest!"

"I'm fine, I don't need rest, I told you before, I'm not that little helpless girl I was when they raided my village!", Katara snatched the reigns from his hands angrily.

Zuko sighed, this was going no where.

"Look, I know you are strong and you are definitely no where near helpless but even the strongest warriors need their rest! If you face the Southern Raiders like this, I can assure you that even though you are strong, you can't handle them in this tired state you're in"

Katara growled softly in her throat, somehow she knew that the prince was right, she just didn't want to give in. She finally would have the opportunity to face the man that killed her mother and it made her feel powerful and a little restless.

"I'm not tired!", she shot back.

Zuko let out another sigh before he stood up and gently tugged her arms so he could pull her up her feet.

"Let go of me! What are you doing?!", Katara all but yelled as she felt herself being lifted up off her feet by Zuko who had started to carefully carry her back to the saddle.

Katara was struggling and that made things very uneasy for the prince, it was hard to keep his balance on top of the bison when she writhed and struggled so much against him.

"Would you please just stay still!! Or else we might just fall off Appa and fall to an early death, I don't know about you but I'm not ready to die just yet!". Zuko said a bit harsher then he intended but it was effective.

Katara sighed in defeat as Zuko lowered her to the floor of the saddle.

"There", he said climbing back out of the saddle to take the reigns of the bison.

"Just rest for a little while, I'll wake you up when we get there", he said softly before he turned back around and stared of in the distance in front of him, the tiniest hint of a blush evident on his face.

Katara wanted to protest, she really wanted to but she couldn't.

It seemed as if as soon as she was on the saddle her eyes began to droop.

Defeated she laid down on the soft furs and closed her eyes completely. She turned her back towards Zuko and let out a long sigh. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes but she blinked them away as she fell into a light slumber.

End of Moment one.

* * *

_**Moment two; Comfort.**_

"_**But as much as I hate you, I just can't do it.."**_

Zuko watched Katara turn around and walk away.

Glaring back down at the man that sat pitifully on the ground one more time, he too turned around and followed Katara through the rocky landscape to the place where they hid Appa.

As they approached Appa, Zuko caught up with her and fell instep next to her. Katara turned her head sideways so he couldn't see her face, but he knew there were tears on her cheeks.

Zuko felt a bit uncomfortable, he didn't really know what to do in a situation like this. He cleared his throat.

"Uhm that was some amazing bending you did back there", he said lamely.

Katara just shrugged and walked a bit faster. Zuko kept up with her.

Appa growled happily when he spotted them. Zuko, not knowing what else to do patted the beast on the head.

Katara climbed up and in the saddle, she sat down and stared of into space. She didn't bother to hide her tears anymore, her shoulders shook softly with her silent sobs.

Zuko sat atop Appa's head and took the reigns. As he prepared to take off , he heard her soft voice which made him stop to look back at her. Appa growled before he started to eat from the grass again.

"I'm such a weakling aren't I?', she was talking to herself it seemed.

Zuko raised his eyebrow, not really sure what she meant by that. He studied her form, she was sitting with her knees up, her chin rested on them and her arms were around her legs. Her eyes were screwed shut and tears kept flowing down her face.

"I should have...I mean I really wanted to...", Katara, realizing that she was talking out loud, closed her mouth and turned away from Zuko.

Zuko let go of the reigns and carefully climbed into the saddle, sitting away from her so she had her space. He didn't really dare to come closer, after all she was still hostile towards him and probably still angry with him.

But seeing her sitting there so brokenly made him want to reach out to her.

"I think you did a noble thing back there", Zuko said soft but hesitant.

Katara furrowed her brows and snorted.

"I didn't ask for your opinion on the matter", she sneered.

Zuko sighed, 'I know that but.."

"Then just shut up, I don't need your pity or whatever else", Katara spat angrily as she turned around to face him. Her eyes were misted over with fresh tears that mingled with the ever falling rain.

"I'm not pitying you", Zuko shot back softly.

Katara stood and walked over to him, stopping just inches from his form. He quickly stood up too not really knowing what would happen next.

"You really think that was noble of me? I don't, I think it was weak, I should have crushed him, I should have done something but I couldn't. I don't know why but I just couldn't. I wish I had the guts though because even though I saw the man who killed her and although I've faced him head on...I'm still so very angry and bitter for what he did, I will never ever forgive him for what he did!"

Zuko looked away from the pain and rage in her eyes.

"You aren't weak, you did the right thing", he said softly. "In a way Aang was right, revenge is never good, it will taint you,. I understand how you feel."

Katara let out a hollow laugh that gave him shivers.

"Yeah sure, how would you understand that ", she spat at him.

Zuko frowned.

"Katara, I know what you are feeling and I know what it's like to lose someone you love dearly and I know its hard to forgive, but you really did the right thing back there even if you might never forgive him.

Katara stared at him, clenching her fists at her sides. She was angry and hurt and sad and as she stared into the face of Zuko she felt bitterness welling up inside of her.

Suddenly without warning she shot forward and started pounding on Zuko's chest with her fists while heart wrenching sobs escaped her lips.

Zuko was completely taken aback by the force of her fists on his chest and stumbled backwards till he landed on his butt, in reflex he had taken a hold of her wrists to stop the pounding and she landed in his lap.

Zuko expected to be bended of the saddle right that moment but instead she curled her body into him and buried her face in his chest. Her fingers clenched and unclenched in the fabric of his shirt and the tears damped it almost immediately.

Zuko, not knowing what else to do, wrapped his arms around her and just held her, resting his chin on her head. She needed this comfort and he would give it to her no questions asked.

The sobs subsided after a little while, Katara's breath hitched when she untangled herself from his comforting embrace.

She stared at him for a moment before getting up and lying down at the other end of the saddle, her back towards him.

"Let's go", her voice was hoarse from all the crying.

Zuko understood and stood up to take his place on Appa's head.

"Appa, yip yip!"

**The end.**

**If this is overly dramatic and everything, I apologize, but this is what I pictured right after that episode..**


End file.
